Reuters covered the May 5 Senate Budget Committee hearing titled: “Should Taxpayer Dollars Go to Companies that Violate Labor Laws?”:
“Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders on Thursday slammed Amazon and its chairman at a hearing on the company’s labor practices as he pushed the White House to end government contracts for the retailer.
‘Amazon has done everything possible — legal and illegal — to defeat union organizing efforts,’ Sanders said. He addressed Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos, who had been invited to testify but did not appear.
‘Given all your wealth, how much do you need? Why are you doing everything in your power, including breaking the law, to deny Amazon workers the right to join a union so that they can negotiate for better wages, better working conditions and better benefits?’ Sanders asked. ‘How much do you need?’
Also testifying during the hearing were Amazon Labor Union President Christian Smalls, Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien and Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First.
Read the full Reuters story.
Read the full text of LeRoy’s testimony.